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Reading: Luke 6:27–39
LFM: Ordinary Time 7  Legend
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Forgiveness From the Heart

Summary

Forgiveness, one of the most basic yet difficult human virtues, often requires us to go beyond our simple human nature. Contemporary society almost mandates that we react in certain ways and differentiate between people in how they are treated. Some people are in and others are out. Jesus, in his Sermon on the Plain and the actions of King David demonstrate clearly our need to rise above our natural inclinations and reach the higher realm that Christ demonstrated in his life on earth. Today’s celebration and readings challenge us in a similar way.


Joseph Girzone, in his book, Joshua and the Children, the second of a series of novels that center about a contemporary Messianic figure named Joshua, tells the following story. About 100 years ago in France a butler worked for a wealthy Parisian family. This butler was good at what he did, but he was also quite greedy. He had worked for the family for many years and he felt that his services were not appreciated and that he was not paid sufficiently. Actually he was paid better than almost all domestic servants in Paris. In his greed, the butler plotted to steal the family fortune, which he discovered was locked in a vault below the house. He realized, however, that in order to steal the fortune and make an escape, he could leave no witnesses. Thus he decided to eliminate the whole family to make sure there would be no one who would know.

            One night very late the butler entered the house using the key he had as a trusted employee. He first went to the bedroom of the parents and while they slept quietly killed both of them. He continued going from bedroom to bedroom to eliminate each child. In the process some commotion arose and the youngest child, a boy of seven years, woke up. Somehow he realized what was happening, and although greatly afraid, he managed to keep his head, crept out of his bedroom and into a hall closet where he hid under some old clothes. The butler never found him, but made off with the family fortune nonetheless.

            The little boy was so frightened that he fled the house before the au

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